Puzzle or toy.



B. 6., ROSS, 'PU'ZZLE 0R TOY. APPLICATION FILED OCT-241F916.

Patented July 24, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET -1.

ROBERT G. ROSS, OF COLUMBUS. OHIO.

ruzznn on TOY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 24, 191%.

Application. filed October 24, 191.6. Serial No. 12?,360.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Bonner G. Ross, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Puzzles or Toys, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a game, puzzle or toy which shall require the exercise of skill and patience in manipulation and excite interest and afford amusement for extended periods.

The invention is embodied in the construction herein shown and described, the feature of novelty being finally claimed.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a perspective of the device as it appears ready for use.

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the device with the cover for those chambers intended to have covers, removed.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line ITT-TIT Fig. 1.

Fig. 42 is a horizontal sectional view of the device.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view on the line VV Fig. 4.

Tn the views 5 designates a shallow oblong box which is divided by seven transverse parallel vertical walls 6 extending between the sides to form five chambered divisions 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 and three unchambered divisions or alleys 12, 13 and 1 1.

The scheme is to place one or more balls 60 in a starting chamber 15 at one end of the box and work the balls through several of the intermediate chambers into a chamber at the other end of the box without permitting them to be trapped on the journey through.

In the upper division 7 is formed the aforesaid chamber 15 which has at its top an inlet 16 through which the ball is inserted and outlets 17, 17. The division 8 F has walls forming a double communicating blind chamber 18 with inlets 19; a middle chamber 20 with an inlet 21 and an outlet 22; and two other chambers 23 and 24. The chamber 23 is a blind one that is it has an entrance but no outlet while the chamber 24; has a pocket 25 into which the ball is caught, should it be permitted to enter that chamber. The division 9 has walls forming three blind chambers 26, 27 and 28 at the left and chamber 29 with trapping pocket 30, and two communicating chambers 31 and 82, the former having an inlet 33 and the latter an outlet 84 permitting the passage of a ball from the alley 12 to the alley 13. The division 10 has walls forming a chamber 35 with a trapping pocket 36 and a blind chamber 37. This division 10 also has a longitudinal wall 38 forming a double or communicating chamber 89 and 4:0, the former with an entrance from alley 13 and the latter with an exit to alley 1 1. This division 10 also has two blind chambers all and 42, the former with an entrance from alley 13 and the latter with an entrance from alley 14.

The division 11 is provided at one end with four chambers 14:, 45, 46, and 47 having communicating openings, an entering opening 48 from the alley 14 and an exit l9 to a central chamber 50. The other end of the division 11 is provided with three chambers 51, 52 and 53 having connecting passages, an entering opening 54 from the alley l4 and an exit to the central chamber 50. In the central chamber is a pocket 55 surmounted by a turret 56 having an entrance 57. The turret has a removable cover 58.

All of the chambers except those having the traps and turret are covered so that any attempting the guidance of the balls through the chambers for the first time is not apprised as to which are blind.

The game is played by placing the ball or balls in first chamber and passing it or them successfully through the proper chambers asindicated by the arrows, Fig. 4:, to the interior of the turret.

The alleys and chambers can be likened unto trenches and dugouts and the balls can be idealized as soldiers. The operation of working the balls from one end of the box to the other can be likened unto the escape of soldiers from a place of danger to a place of safety, the intermediate pockets or traps being places of peril or capture, thus adding zest to the work. But this is an arbitrary matter and can be varied to suit the fancy of the manufacturer or the public.

In Fig. eh the balls 60 are shown in the starting chamber 15. This chamber 15 can have interior walls 15 located to compel the tilting of the box downward at its outer end to permit a ball to escape through the opening 17.

visions,

The possible paths of the ball from the starting chamber to the homing chamber is indicated by arrows on Fig. a.

What I claim is:

1. A puzzle or toy consisting of a boX having its interior divided into a series of chambered and unchambered divisions or alleys, covers for said chambers, some of said chambers having openings for the passage of a ball to both the adjoining unchambered alleys and some of said chamhere being blind.

2. A puzzle or toy consisting of a box having its interior divided into parallel dithe alternate of said divisions formed With chambers, and covers for the upper ends of a portion only of said chainbers the vertical Walls of said chambers having openings through them, vertical Walls for the passage of a ball into the adjacent alleys or divisions.

3. A puzzle or toy consisting of a box having its interior divided into a series of chambered and unchambered divisions, or alleys, covers for the chambers, said chambers provided With openings for the passage of a ball to both the adjoining uncham bered alleys and some of said chambers being blind, pockets or traps in the floors of some of said divisions or alleys, a starting chamber in one of the end alleys and a homing chamber in the other end alley.

4. A puzzle or toy consisting of a box having its interior divided into a series of chambered and unchambered divisions or alleys covers for said chambers, some of said chambers having openings for the passage of a ball to both the adjoining unchambered alleys and some of said chambers being blind, a starting chamber in one of the end alleys and a homing chamber in the other end alley.

ROBERT G. ROSS.

(lollies of this patent may be obtained forfive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. (3? 

